2013: Two observations with my 16-inch in Geigersau
A frosty night at Geigersau Fr/Sa, March 15/16, 2013
18:09 CET: Before sunset
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20:48 CET: Winter sky in moonlight
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A cold wind swept repeatedly over an already frosty, exposed Geigersau site (930m) close to the Alps. But conditions were dry with a good
seeing. We missed comet PAN-starrs due to an initially cloudy western horizon. Observing of spring galaxies, among them NGC 5339 with
a supernova. For about half an hour we were joined by Leonhard, a local peasant, who was eagerly observing some highlights.
21:22 CET: Ralph and Leonhard at my 16-inch
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Ben and Leonhard
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23:11 CET: The Winter hexagon setting in the West
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Big and small dipper
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Nominally the temperature was "only" about -10 °C, but the cold wind made it appear much frostier. Therefore we went into our sleeping bags
around 0:30, despite a sky remaining totally clear.
Morning after
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A clear night at Geigersau, Tue/Wed, Mai 14/15, 2013
A trip alone with my 16".
Evening before the Alps
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23:39 CEST: Rise of the summer triangle
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Initially with moon, observing till about 3:30: Many galaxies of the spring sky, among them also the less known, but bright objects NGC 3521
and NGC 4725. Among the fainter objects I observed the Coma Galaxy Cluster and the interacting galaxies NGC 4676 A/B ("The Mice").
The Mira variable Chi Cygni was near maxium, this time very bright with about V = 3.8, noticeably a bit brighter than nearby Eta Cygni.
2:52 CEST: The center of the Milky Way near the meridian
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Chi Cygni near maximum
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